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A65700 A discourse, confirming the truth and certainty of the Christian faith from the extraordinary gifts and operations of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to the apostles and primitive professors of that faith / by Daniel Whitby ... Whitby, Daniel, 1638-1726. 1691 (1691) Wing W1723; ESTC R39042 30,421 35

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Knowledge Vnderstanding Council Courage Piety and the Fear of God no mention being made of signs and wonders 4. Because throughout the History of the Acts of the Apostles where St. Luke hath occasion to mention the Miracles which the Apostles and Primitive Professors did he always uses the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wonders Signs Powers but where he speaks of Persons prophesying or speaking with Tongues the wonderous Things of God he doth as constantly ascribe this to the Holy Ghost descending on them Instances of the first kind you will find 2 Acts 22 43. ‑ 4.16 22 30 33. ‑ 5.12 ‑ 6 8. ‑ 8.6 13.14 3. ‑ 15.12 ‑ 19.11 Instances of the second kind occur 1 Acts 16. ‑ 2.4 11. ‑ 7.51 ‑ 8.17 ‑ 10.44 45. ‑ 19.2 6. ‑ 20.23 28. ‑ 21.11 ‑ 28.25 ‑ 5. Because where the Scripture mentions these things together it puts a manifest Distinction between Signs and Wonders and Gifts Vid. Supr prefat and Operations and distributions of the Holy Ghost as v. 9.15 Rom. 19.3 Gal. 5.2 Heb. 4.21 And therefore having spoken of these things hitherto in general and without distinction for farther demonstration of this Matter I proceed to speak more particularly of some of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gifts which in the stricter Acceptation of the Word do bear that Name 1. And first the Gift of Prophecy affords a signal Demonstration of the Assistance of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to the Abettors of the Christian Faith I have already shewed that this Gift was exercised at Rome at Thessalonica 't is represented by St. Paul as a thing common and luxuriant in the Church of Corinth who declares 1 Cor. 14.26 31. v. 1. that each Man had his Revelation and that all might prophesie and that they should desire spiritual Gifts but above others Prophesie Moreover he instructs them how and when to use and when to limit and restrain this Gift and chides them for abusing the plentiful Effusion of it to the Confusion of the Church the Disturbance of the Peace and the Hindrance of her Edification Now the Word Prophesie imports sometimes only the Interpretation of the Scriptures or Will of God to the Edification Exhortation or Comfort of the Hearer sometimes the composing of spiritual Hymns of Praises and Thanksgivings by the immediate Assistance of the Holy Spirit in both which Senses it is used by St. Paul when mentioned among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vouchsafed to the Church of Corinth but then it was so used or with such Evidences of Divine Assistance as to convince not only the Unlearned but Unbelievers that God was in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14.23 24. Sometimes it signifies the Prediction of future and contingent things as when the Author of the Revelations saith that the Testimony of Jesus was the Spirit of Prophesie 10 Rev. 19. 11 Acts 27 28. 13 Act. 1.21 Act. 9 10. and in this Import of the Word we have mention in the Acts of the Apostles of the Prophet Agabus who foretold the Dearth which was to happen in the Reign of Claudius Caesar and of other Prophets coming from Jerusalem to Antioch of Prophets and Teachers at Antioch of four Daughters of St. Philip which did prophesie And among the Gifts dispensed by our Saviour when he ascended up on high are reckoned Prohets and Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Thus Justin Martyr tells the Jew that the Gift of Prophesie Dial cum● Tryph. p. 308. which among them had long since ceased was conferr'd upon the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we have to this very time the Gift of Prophesie Lenaeus saith L. 2. c. 57. That Prophesie and Visions Predictions of things future and Revelation of things secret were frequent in his days And in Eusebius there is mention of an * The Prophets of Montanus saith he prophesied Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius also adds that some thought M●ntan●● A●cibiades and Theodotus might Prophesie because there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many strange Effects of this Divine Gift still remaining in divers Churches Hist Eccles l. 5 c. 3. Antient VVriter who to consute the Montanist all whose pretended Prophets were Extatick brings in a Catalogue of the renowned Prophets of the Christian Church who never suffered the like Phrensies and after calls for a Succession of these Prophets as a thing necessary in the Christian Church which had the Gift then ceased could not have been required from its Adversaries without the greatest Prejudice to the Church of Christ Now this was even by the Heathens admitted as a certain Rule Si divinatio ergo Deus and 't is as certain that if God vouchsafed the Gift of Prophesie to Christians in Confirmation of that Faith that Christianity is derived from God Add to this 2dly That they who were then called to Sacred Functions were either chosen to them immediately by the Holy Ghost or with their ordination they received some measure of these extraordinary Gifts this indeed we might reasonably expect who know the Manifestation of the Spirit was given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the benefit of others 1 Cor. 12 7. that they should be more eminently vouchsafed to those Men who wee particularly designed for the perfecting of the Saints 4 Eph. 12. for the VVork of the Ministry for the edifying the Body of Christ We find that Christ himself was consecrated to his Prophetick Office by the descent of the Holy Ghost on him at Baptism and when he ordained his Apostles he saith unto them as my Father sent me 24 L●ke 4. so send I you receive the Holy Ghost and would not suffer them to begin their testimony concerning him till they should be endued with Power from above or with the Holy Spirit 12 Acts 2. The Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the VVork whereunto I have called them St. Paul speaks thus unto the Elders of Asia 20 Acts 28. 1 Tim. 4 14. 2 Tim. 1.6 Eph. ad Cor. ss take heed to your selves and to the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers And he advises Timothy not to neglect the Gift which was given him by Prophecy and the Imposition of the Hands of the Presbytery to stir up the Gift received by imposition of hands Clemens Romanus saith that the Apostles out of their Converts chose Bishops and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens of Alexandria adds that John coming from Asia ordained such to be of the Clergy who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb H●● E●cl l. 3. c. 23. as I may render it presented to him by the Holy Ghost Ignatius saith of the Bishops placed every where that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep●● Ep●●●● 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ep. ad Philadelph S. S. 1. they were appointed by
by the Holy Ghost Ignatius the Martyr saith of the (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proem Church of Smyrna that she was favoured with all Gifts and was deficient in no Gift Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho declares expresly of those who were converted to the (d) Novi nonnullos indies Christi Disciplinam suscipientes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. cum Tryph. P 258. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 308. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 315. D. Christian Faith that they every one received the Gifts as they were worthy when they were Baptized some the Spirit of Knowledg some of Council some of Fortitude some of Healing some of Fore-knowledge some of Doctrine And again amongst us saith he even to this present Time the Gifts of Prophesie are preserved whence you Jews ought to understand that what of old was proper to the Jewish Church is now translated to us and a third time Our Men and VVomen have the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Irenaeus speaking of the wonderful Operations of our Lord sayeth thus (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 2. c. 57. They who are truly his Disciples receiving Grace from him do the like VVorks in his Name as every one hath received the Gift from him some ejecting Devils so efficaciously that they who were delivered from them espous'd the Christian Faith and constantly persevered in it others had the Knowledge of things future Divine Visions and prophetical Predictions were vouchsafed to them others by Imposition of Hands cured the Diseased and others raised the Dead 'T is needless saith he to insist upon Particulars for the miraculous Gifts which the Church throughout the VVorld enjoys and the beneficial Miracles she worketh for the good of Heathens are innumerable And treating of these Words of the Apostles VVe speak VVisdom among those that are perfect he saith that (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 5. cap. 6. the Apostle by the perfect Vnderstandeth those who have received the Spirit of God and by that Spirit speak all Languages as we our selves have heard from many Brethren of the Church having prophetick Gifts and by the Spirit speaking all Languages discovering the hidden things of Men and manifesting the Mysteries of God Here then we find by all these early Testimonies of Martyrs for the Christian Faith that in the first and second Centuries innumerable Gifts were still continued not only to some Churches but to all Churches every where that every one at their Baptism received some or other of these Gifts and that there was a full Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon them all that these are Relations not of things past and gone or only performed in a Corner but of things performed every day in the Face of the publick Assembly and so confirmed by the joynt Testimony of all Christian Churches that they were Miracles which their own Eyes had seen Tongues and Prophetick Gifts which their own Ears had heard Gifts which they urg'd against the unbelieving Jew for his Conviction and beneficial Miracles so truly wrought upon the Heathen that they were efficacious to engage them to espouse and persevere unto the end in the Profession of the Christian Faith And therefore this may well deserve to be esteemed Adv. Cols l. 1. ● p. 5. as Origen well stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper Demonstration of our Jesus the Archetype or essential VVord no other Doctrine no other Pretender to the Power of doing Signs or Wonders having ever derived the Power from himself on others entayl'd it on them by Promise or engag'd that all Believers should receive it no Heathen Apollonius no Roman Jugler ever pretending to enable their Followers to speak with Tongues to interpret the Language of another to discern the Secrets of Mens Thoughts to confer all or any of these Gifts by Imposition of Hands And Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Divine Convincing Demonstration of the Truth and the celestial Original of that Faith which gave the full Effusion of these Gifts to the Professors of it I have hitherto discoursed as if the Gifts of Healing Diseases casting out Devils and working other powerful Miracles were to be reckoned among the Gifts of the Holy Ghost and I indeed believe that all these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Operations of the Spirit but then I humbly conceive that this Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gifts of the Holy Ghost doth in the Scripture bear another Sense and doth dictinctly * This is the constant Notion of the Holy Ghost among the Antient Jews See Maimon More Neb●thim Pa t 2. c. 45. Gradus Secundus Mr. Smiths Select Disc Tract of Prophesie Ch. of the Holy Ghost signifie the inward Gifts by which the Understanding is enlightned and is enabled to perform things which by Nature it could not do without immediate Workings of the Holy Ghost When therefore we read in Scripture of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I grant we generally are to understand miraculous Operations performed upon others as the Healing of the Sick making the Lame to walk the Deaf to hear the Blind to see the Dead to live the casting out and silencing of Devils and their Oracles but when we find in Scripture mention of the Holy Ghost and of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost or Spirit I humbly conceive we rather are to understand the Gifts of Wisdom Knowledge Faith Prophesie discerning of Spirits the Gifts of Tongues and the Interpretation of them My Reasons for this Notion which I submit to better Judgments are these following 1. Because our Saviour whilst he was upon Earth 10 Mat. 8. 10 Luc. 9.17.19 7 Joh. 39. 16 J h. 7. 2 A ●s 33. gave to his Apostles and to the Seventy Disciples Power to heal the Sick to cleanse the Lepers raise the Dead and cast out Devils and yet the Evangelist St. John informs us that the Holy Ghost was not yet because that Jesus was not yet glorified Our Saviour tells his own Disciples that the Paraclyte would not come till he departed And St. Peter That our Lord being exalted to the Right-hand of God received the Promise of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost therefore must signifie some thing distinguished from the Power of working Miracles 2. It is almost impossible to conceive that the Disciples of the Baptist mention'd Acts 19. had never heard of the other Miracles wrought by Christ and his Apostles and yet they do expresly say we have not heard whether there be an Holy Ghost this Phrase must therefore in their apprehension signifie somewhat distinct from what we properly do call the Power of working Miracles 3. The Prophecy of Joel which by St. Peter is mention'd as the Promise on which the giving of the Holy Ghost was founded is only a Promise of Visions Dreams and Prophecy but not of Miracles and the Gifts of the Spirit mention'd by the Prophet Isaiah are only those of Wisdom Chap. 11 2 3.